Thursday, December 21, 2017

(OLYMPIA, WA) – Washington State’s seasonally adjusted
unemployment rate held at 4.5 percent in November. That’s despite preliminary
estimates from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics that indicate the state
added 9,800 jobs over the month.

The state Employment Security Department released the
seasonally adjusted, preliminary job estimates as part of its November Monthly
Employment Report.The department also announced that October’s previously
announced gain of 6,900 jobs was revised downward to 6,300 jobs. The statewide
unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in November 2016.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

CMUA and Ruralite team up to start a leading-edge
publication focused on two of California’s hottest sectors.

(Sacramento, CA) — The
California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA) has announced a partnership
with Ruralite Services, Inc. (RSI) to launch a new statewide water and energy
issues magazine.

The first-of-its-kind quarterly publication, California Water & Power
will explore trends and topics around policy, technology, innovation, and
management while showcasing how municipally owned utilities are confronting new
challenges and embracing new opportunities to provide reliable, cost-effective
and environmentally responsible service to Californians.

Each magazine issue will feature stories on water and energy, Q&A
interviews with key industry players, a section for news from California
publicly owned utilities and private industry, a recurring feature on
technology and research, case studies about successful projects and more.

“California Water & Power will be the go-to source for news,
information and thought leadership about what’s happening in our rapidly
evolving industry, at the state Capitol in Sacramento and statewide,” said CMUA
Executive Director Barry Moline. “Water and power issues have never been more
visible or more discussed in California, so it‘s the perfect time to introduce
a new magazine giving CMUA and our 55 member utilities and agencies a voice in
the conversation.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to
partner with CMUA on this unique and visionary initiative,” said RSI CEO
Michael Shepard. “We expect California Water & Power to quickly
become a must-read on energy and water issues not just in California, but
across the U.S.”

California Water & Power will be distributed in print and digital
versions to CMUA members, state regulators, policymakers and legislators, and
other key influencers and stakeholders in the water and power industries. The
first issue of the magazine is scheduled for publication in the spring of 2018.

CMUA and RSI are natural teammates for the new magazine.
Both organizations have worked for decades to advance the interests of community-owned
utilities. CMUA’s member agencies provide water service to 27 million people
and power service to another 9 million. Revenues for these utilities is
estimated to be $10 billion per year.

RSI, a not-for-profit communications cooperative based in
Hillsboro, Oregon, provides customizable magazines in partnership with
consumer-owned utilities, as well as website hosting and other services to
utilities in California, the West and nationwide. Its Efficiency Services
Group subsidiary, which focuses on providing energy efficiency services, has a
long history of partnership with many CMUA member utilities.

CMUA will produce the editorial content in California Water & Power,
RSI will assist with content and direct the magazine’s design, production, distribution
and business functions.

(WASHINGTON, DC) – About a dozen members of Congress
are calling on President Donald Trump to take "strong and effective"
action to protect the U.S. solar industry against foreign competition that they
said could undermine U.S. energy independence. "In order to ensure
electrical grid security, the U.S. cannot afford to become dependent on imports
from China and other countries for cutting-edge [crystalline photovoltaic]
solar cell and module technology," Sens. Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley and Sherrod Brown said
in a letter to Trump.
Eight House lawmakers sent a nearly identical letter making the
same argument.

Trump faces a decision by
the end of January on whether to restrict imports of
solar cells and modules from around the world to give the U.S. industry time to
become more competitive. The U.S. International Trade Commission has already
recommended relief in an "emergency safeguard" case brought by Georgia-based
Suniva and Oregon-based SolarWorld, but it is up to Trump to decide what, if
any, action to take. "We urge you to impose a strong and effective remedy
that will ensure a growing and competitive U.S. CSPV solar cell and module
manufacturing industry and promote robust growth across our entire domestic
solar industry," the lawmakers wrote.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

(WASHINGTON, DC) – American Oversight and the Environmental
Working Group have asked EPA's
inspector general to investigate the agency's $120,000 no-bid contract with a
firm tied to Pruitt to track news coverage of its activities. "The EPA's
decision to award a no-bid contract to a highly political organization with
close ties to the current EPA Administrator, particularly combined with the
fact that a related organization has been using the Freedom of Information Act
to investigate the agency's employees, raises numerous questions about how the
EPA is allocating its funds and whether it is complying with all government
contracting, legal, and ethical requirement," they wrote. An employee of
the group, Definers Public Affairs, has also filed dozens of public records
requests for information on employees who have been critical of the Trump
administration.

Meanwhile, Public
Citizen asked GAO to find
the contract was awarded improperly and recommend it be rescinded.

Won't
back down: One of EPA's top unions, the American Federation of Government
Employees Local 704, vowed not to be scared off by the tactics in a statement.
"None of us got into this work to be voices of dissent," Nicole
Cantello, an official with the union, said. "But in the face of grave
injustice and the dangerous actions of the Trump administration, we have a
moral obligation to speak out and do everything within the bounds of the law
that we can to fight back."

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

(WINLOCK, WA) – A community Christmas event in Winlock is
being rescheduled for Thursday night as a result of a bomb scare Saturday.

The
Chronicle reports local police and fire crews, a bomb squad and federal agents
descended upon Winlock about 3:45 PM after the discovery of an item in the big
Winlock egg that looked like a pipe bomb. It turned out to be a time
capsule.

Local police contacted the
Washington State Patrol’s Explosives Unit. They contacted the Federal Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, which also responded. When they opened the pipe,
instead of shrapnel and explosives, they found pictures and other objects.

The
Christmas tree lighting event is rescheduled for this Thursday at 6 PM.

Thursday, November 16, 2017

(OLYMPIA, WA) – A recent decision by the Department of
Natural Resources Board to lock up more than 620-thousand acres of public lands
to protect an endangered coastal seabird could be challenged by state
lawmakers.

Representative Jim Walsh of Aberdeen says Option D chosen by
the DNR Board to protect the marbled murrelet could cripple local economies
along Washington’s coast. Walsh and 11 bipartisan state lawmakers asked the
Board to choose Option B, which would have provided 590 thousand acres of
conservation habitat on public lands.

Walsh says the option chosen by DNR effectively locks up
significantly more acreage from timber harvest.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

(PORTLAND, OR) -- The Bonneville Power Administration has selected Kim Thompson to permanently fill the role as Energy Efficiency vice president. Thompson has been acting in this position since June of 2017.

In making the announcement, BPA Administrator Elliot Mainzer expressed excitement about permanently adding Thompson to his executive team. “Kim has the background and leadership experience to take Energy Efficiency in directions that continue to optimize the program’s success,” said Mainzer. “I am proud of everything the Energy Efficiency program has accomplished, and under Thompson, I am confident BPA and its customers will continue to advance employing innovative energy solutions that save power and enrich lives in the Pacific Northwest.”

Thompson joined BPA in 2009 to lead Energy Efficiency’s marketing and customer engagement function. Three years later, she was promoted to director of BPA’s Energy Efficiency Services, overseeing energy efficiency-specific program, marketing, and engineering departments. Since 2015, Thompson has worked in a series of rotational details serving as acting vice president of Requirements Marketing in BPA’s Power division, acting director of Corporate Strategy and most recently, acting vice president of Energy Efficiency.

“With rapid technological advancements, these are exciting and challenging times for the utility industry as we watch it quickly change around us,” said Senior Vice President of Power Services, Joel Cook. “Kim Thompson’s leadership skills and creativity will be extremely important as BPA works to meet regional energy demands with even greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness.”

Now into its fourth decade, BPA’s Energy Efficiency program is considered world class. With the help of BPA customers, partners and other stakeholders, the EE program continues to outperform its annual goals year after year - more efficiently using clean federal power in our region while saving consumers money.

In her new role, Thompson will manage a diverse portfolio of commercial, industrial, residential, agricultural and federal energy efficiency activities, mostly accomplished through partnerships with BPA customer utilities. She will supervise four branch managers who oversee energy efficiency planning and evaluation, program implementation, contract administration and demand response / distributed energy resources.

Prior to joining BPA, Thompson worked in the technology sector, as a marketing manager and customer relationship manager for Hewlett Packard and as a business analyst for Microsoft.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from the University of California, Davis, a high-school teaching credential from Humboldt State University, and an MBA from Portland State University.

Friday, November 3, 2017

(CENTRALIA, WA) -- We “fall back” Sunday morning as Daylight Saving Time ends and we return to Standard Time. Local fire department officials remind you to change the batteries in your home smoke detectors when you reset your clocks for the time change. Chief Rick Mack with Riverside Fire Authority says having a functioning smoke detector doubles your chance of surviving a home fire. He says should also replace your smoke detectors if they are ten years old or older. Mack also says in addition to having working smoke detectors, you should have an escape plan for getting out of your residence in the event of a fire.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

(SAN JUAN, PR) – Hours after Gov. Ricardo Rossello called for
its immediate termination, Puerto Rico's utility axed a $300 million
grid repair contract awarded to two-year-old Montana-based Whitefish Energy.
"It's an enormous distraction," Ricardo Ramos, CEO of Puerto Rico
Electric Power Authority, said at a Sunday press conference, according to
the Associated Press .
"This was negatively impacting the work we're already doing." Ramos
said the contract's cancellation will result in delays of 10 to 12 weeks,
though the company will complete work it's already started.

In a statement, Whitefish
said it was "very disappointed" by
the decision and claimed it would "delay what the people of Puerto Rico
want and deserve - to have the power restored quickly in the same manner their
fellow citizens on the mainland experience after a natural disaster."
During an interview with NBC News on
Saturday, Whitefish CEO Andy Techmanski welcomed an audit into the contract and
said his company had "nothing to hide."

Doubt this is the end
of the story: Multiple congressional committees, government watchdogs and
others are still going to want to answers to why the island's bankrupt utility
awarded the massive contract in the first place to the tiny company from
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's hometown. Just Friday, the top Democrat and
Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs panel asked DHS to review
the contract to determine whether FEMA could be responsible for reimbursing the
island's power company for Whitefish's work.

Hearings starting this
week: Expect the Whitefish scandal to dominate two congressional
hearings on the government's response to a string of recent hurricanes this
week. Homeland Security ranking member Claire McCaskill said
the contract "raises every red flag in the book" and told federal
officials they had "better be ready to answer tough questions" during
a Tuesday hearing. A House Energy
and Commerce subcommittee holds its own session Thursday
on response efforts.

(CENTRALIA, WA) – In the wake of the power outage in Centralia on Oct. 21 that left about 1600 Centralia City Light customers in the dark for up to 24 hours, City Light is going to speed up the replacement of the type of device that failed, causing the initial outage.

City Light Manager M.L. Norton says it was caused by the failure of a device called a “cut-out” which is a fuse designed to protect transformers or other items on power poles.Norton says that the cut-outs on about 75 percent of the poles in the system are an older porcelain type. He says they are going to replace the porcelain cut-outs in the system, starting with the M-4 circuit, which is the most heavily used.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

(CENTRALIA, WA) – Equipment failure is being blamed for the power outage that left about 1,600 Centralia City Light customers in the dark on Saturday, some for 24 hours.

City Light Manager M.L. Norton says the initial outage was caused by the failure of a device called a “cut-out” on a power pole on the north end of downtown Saturday morning. It caused a fire on the top of that power pole.

He says there also appears to have been an issue with a breaker at the May Street substation sensing a fault and not closing when they tried to restore power.

Norton says they will be downloading the memory from the relay at the substation to see if was working properly.

Thursday, October 19, 2017

(CENTRALIA, WA) -- Officials say over 54,000 customers were without power as a wind and rain storm blew through Western Washington.

The National Weather Service in Seattle on Wednesday issued high wind warnings on the coast and north of Seattle from Everett to Bellingham while wind advisories were issued from Seattle to south of Centralia.

The weather service says a wind gust up to 44 mph was recorded at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Wednesday evening.Lewis County PUD reports they had several small power outages Wednesday evening affecting a total of fewer than 400 customers.

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Apparently, the swinging gate let the first of our three storms past Mason County with minimal impact. Saw wind gusts in the mid 20 MPH range for Shelton and Belfair.

The National Weather Service had a briefing today about the second of the three storms forecast to arrive in western Washington State. Nasty weather will pick up Wednesday morning. This storm will be the most active so far this week. Check out the “Atmospheric River” backed up all the way to China.

As with yesterday’s report, the key topics remain:

Blustery Conditions

Heavy Rain

Leaves Still on Many Deciduous Trees

Winds are expected to start picking up about 8 AM tomorrow. Mason County wind speeds are forecast at 25 – 30 MPH, with occasionally higher gusts.

Rainfall will hit, hard, tomorrow afternoon through early evening.

Here are the particulars, not much different from yesterday’s report:

Wednesday through Thursday will have heavy rain and stronger wind.

This week’s total rainfall could reach between 4 and 5 inches in Mason County, over 10 inches in the Olympic Mountains.

Many deciduous trees have not lost their leaves. That creates a “sail effect,” which will most likely result in broken limbs, and possibly downed trees.

Rising rivers. The Skokomish River may reach flood stage this week.

With all the rain, we could see some “urban flooding.” Leaves clogging storm drain gratings could aggravate this.

The University of Washington weather model shows the winds building at around 8:00 AM Wednesday. If the model is correct, the blustery conditions will stick around until at least 6 PM – 8 PM.

There isn’t enough information about the expected weekend storm for a firm forecast. More data should be coming within the next day or so.

Friday, October 13, 2017

Public Power Leader Testifies in Support of Bipartisan Proposal to Let Hydrosystem Review Run Its Course

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- Today, Beth Looney, President and CEO of Portland-based PNGC Power, testified in support of H.R. 3144 before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources/Subcommittee on Water, Power, and Oceans.

Looney told subcommittee members that the bill is a “carefully balanced way” to protect Northwest salmon while managing the economic impacts. Looney also serves on the Board of Directors for Northwest RiverPartners, an alliance of farmers, utilities, ports, and businesses.

Thirteen Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead species are listed under the Endangered Species Act. Driven by these listings, Bonneville Power Administration utility ratepayers—not U.S. taxpayers—fund the largest mitigation program for endangered species in the nation.

Looney told committee members that as BPA’s fourth-largest power customer, PNGC is concerned about BPA’s rate trajectory and its impact on PNGC’s 200,000 member homes, farms and businesses. BPA power rates have increased 30 percent in the last few years, which has been particularly difficult to absorb for customers in rural and underserved areas, Looney said. Fish and wildlife costs make up about a third of BPA’s total cost of power.

As Looney noted in her written testimony, BPA’s recent rate increases have been tied partly to an uncertainty that is driven by ESA-related litigation. H.R. 3144 “effectively puts a time-out on this litigation” until a court-ordered review of federal hydrosystem operations is complete, she told the subcommittee on Thursday.

“In the meantime, it keeps in place current biological measures—vetted by the top federal scientists—that protect salmon in the Columbia and Snake rivers. When this work is complete, federal agencies will be positioned to adopt a new salmon plan based on the public, transparent NEPA process and the science it yields. This just makes sense.”

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

(ROCHESTER, WA) -- A Thurston County Sheriff’s deputy fatally shot a man in the parking lot of the Lucky Eagle Casino in Rochester about 8 PM Tuesday night.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, a family member called 911 earlier in the evening for a welfare check on a 55-year old Lakewood man in the area of the casino.

A deputy found the man inside a car in the casino parking lot. The man exited the vehicle armed with a pistol and approached the deputy while refusing to drop the weapon. The deputy fired several shots at the man, seriously wounding him.

The Sheriff’s Office says the man was flown by helicopter to St. Peter Hospital in Olympia where he was pronounced deceased. The deputy wasn’t injured. The incident is being investigated.

Thursday, October 5, 2017

(PORT TOWNSEND, WA) -- Mike Bailey has joined the Jefferson County Public Utility District as its financial services manager.

The new position was created to focus on work-order and plant accounting needs at the PUD, according to a press release.

Bailey is also to assist with budget preparation and financial analysis and perform other accounting functions.

“I look forward to working for this growing new electric utility and continuing the work they have done to establish sound accounting practices,” said Bailey in a press release.

Prior to being hired by the PUD, Bailey was a staff accountant at Consumers Power, a privately owned nonprofit electric cooperative based in Philomath, Oregon. He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in business administration.

Friday, September 22, 2017

Nearly 3.5 million Americans are without electricity in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria's direct hit, but the impacts to its bankrupt power provider could be felt for months after what its governor called an "unprecedented atmospheric system." The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority declared bankruptcy on July 2 after being bogged down by old power plants that need of billions in repairs and the island's heavy reliance on imported oil. Ahead of Hurricane Irma earlier this month, Moody's Investors Service warned that "long-term power outages will have negative impacts on PREPA's revenues and will pose added challenges in Puerto Rico's overall recovery from this natural disaster." And consumers on the island already pay "more for their power than consumers in any state except Hawaii," according to the Energy Information Administration. San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz summed up the devastation to MSNBC: "We're looking at four to six months without electricity" in Puerto Rico.

President Donald Trump's administration said in a statement it "continues to direct all necessary Federal resources to protect the people of the United States territories affected by Hurricane Maria" and Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello said he'd requested a disaster declaration that could help speed the deployment of federal assistance. Dangerous winds and flood surges are possible over the coming days, according to federal officials. Another thing to watch is the status of the island's 18 Superfund sites. EPA said it had "temporarily paused all response operations" until the storm passed but pledged to "ramp up response activities quickly" once it is safe to do so. In a statement late Wednesday, House Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop said: "Both Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are in dire need of our assistance and we will do everything in our power to ensure that all necessary resources are made available."

Nelson, Rubiorequest help: Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson, still dealing with the impacts of Hurricane Irma on their own state, asked Trump in a letter, to closely monitor the needs of Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. And they separately wrote to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt urging the agency to expedite federal assistance to local entities to reduce sewage and wastewater exposure risks stemming from Irma. They also asked Pruitt for help to improve existing water systems so they're less vulnerable to damage in future hurricanes.

Looking ahead: Expect the recovery needs from Maria to factor into the next disaster relief package likely to take shape in Congress in the weeks ahead. Senior House members, including Speaker Paul Ryan and Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, toured areas in Florida hardest hit by Hurricane Irma on Wednesday.

Friday, September 8, 2017

"Nicolas has an extensive policy and utility industry background and will be a valuable asset to our organization," said George Caan, WPUDA Executive Director. "We are excited to have his depth of knowledge and experience to further the interests of our members."

"I am excited to come to WPUDA and build upon the resource planning and policy making experience I have had at Tacoma Power," said Garcia. "WPUDA has an outsized presence in legislative and regulatory policy development for the energy, water and telecommunications industries. I hope that my skills and experience, in combination with the WPUDA team and member utilities, can further and build upon this presence to benefit the people served by Washington Public Utility Districts."

Nicolas comes to WPUDA from Tacoma Power where he served as the Assistant Power Section Manager in charge of the Energy Resource Planning and Evaluation unit. In this capacity, Nicolas was responsible for long-term resource planning, conservation planning and evaluation, compliance with the Energy Independence Act, long-term energy price forecasting, and administering the BPA power supply and transmission contracts. Nicolas worked closely with Tacoma Power's legislative liaison to assess the implications of legislative bills on the utility and was active in a number of regional forums such as the Public Generating Pool.

Prior to Tacoma Power, Nicolas worked at the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC), the Washington State Energy Office, the Washington Department of Ecology, the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Nicolas received a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington and a Master's Degree in Public Policy from Harvard University.

(NEWPORT, WA) -- Pend Oreille County Public Utility District has hired Kenna Tornow as Communications and Public Contracts Manager.

Tornow comes to the PUD from Gallatin Public Affairs where she consulted with clients on media relations, crisis communications, and government affairs. She will leverage her experience with Gallatin to help build and grow the PUD’s existing brand, connect with the public, deliver information and oversee all contracts for the PUD.

“A major component of providing quality service is open communication,” said Colin Willenbrock, PUD General Manager. “Kenna will help the PUD continue that open dialogue so the Commissioners and our team can make informed decisions about what our customers need out of their utility.”

The Eastern Washington University Journalism grad was also a writer for the student newspaper and interned at KHQ-TV. With her established journalistic background she will be able to craft informational releases about the PUD for the public.

“This small rural PUD is doing a lot of great things and making thoughtful decisions for the future,” said Tornow. “It is my goal to listen carefully and get the information out there in a way that our customers and communities know about the important work going on around them. I simply want people to know what we do.”

Tornow grew up in Chehalis, where she inherited her family’s knowledge of agriculture and business. She is a proud EWU Football fan and a huge supporter of the Seahawks and Mariners.

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Portland, Ore. – The Bonneville Power Administration is actively working to ensure we keep the power flowing throughout the Pacific Northwest while working with emergency responders and communities affected by the Eagle Creek Fire located 60 miles east of Portland, Ore.

BPA is coordinating its transmission actions with the Forest Service Fire Management Team 6 in order to safely take lines and facilities out of service (de-energize and re-energize) in order to provide fire crews with safe access to fight the wildfire while maintaining the reliability of the BPA transmission system.

Currently, we have only one line out of service – North Bonneville-Hood River 115-kilovolt line from Acton Substation to Cascade Locks. All other lines are in service. BPA has a robust, high voltage transmission system with the ability to route power along multiple paths for much of its service territory throughout the Pacific Northwest. No BPA customers are experiencing outages from BPA service at this time.

With the fire expanding to the Washington side of the Columbia River, we are closely monitoring transmission corridors in the vicinity of the fires. A useful resource for tracking the fire relative to BPA’s transmission system can be found at:

Previously, we de-energized Acton Substation at 8:50 p.m. on Monday at the request and in coordination with the City of Cascade Locks. Working with Cascade Locks, we re-energized the substation at 10:04 p.m. It remains in service at this time.

Additionally, BPA’s Knight-Ostrander 500-kilovolt line automatically went out of service due to heavy smoke on the northern portion of the line at 9:21 p.m. Monday. The line was left out of service until the fire safely burned through underneath. The line was re-energized at 7:12 a.m. this morning.

Humming absently to himself, Seymour paid no attention to the little tag on his new plant that warned him that under no circumstances was he was to propagate the little fella. It wasn’t until he had coated the last of thirty cuttings with rooting hormone that his blood froze upon hearing the voice of the Four Tops’ Levi Stubbs crooning, “feed me Seymour.”

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. There may be paywall barriers, unless you are willing to fork over some dough or if you have a clean browser history.

About Me

Joel Myer works at an electrical utility in Washington State.
Prior to his current employment, he worked for nine years at the City of Shelton as Special Projects Coordinator.
In 1992, Joel served a three-month term as an appointed Mason County Commissioner. As far as it is known, he still holds the record for the shortest term for a county commissioner in Washington State.
From 1991 through 1992 Joel worked with Washington State University Cooperative Extension, where he conducted an extensive study of the special forest products industry and its economic value to the Pacific Northwest.
From 1980 to 1991 he was News Director at KMAS Radio in Shelton.
Joel is a 1991 graduate of the Evergreen State College, where his focus of study was economics.
Joel Myer is one of the 2018 award winners, Foundation for Water & Energy Education Haiku Contest.
He has been teaching himself to play the ukulele (with limited success) since 2003.